Welcome back to Yankees Twitter Reacts, my column filled with the best and worst takes, funniest tweets, reactions to Yankees news, and everything in between from our beloved Yankees Twitter. I want this to be as fan interactive as possible, so remember to hashtag #BPYankeesTwitter or tag me at @T_Danks_to join the conversation and submit the best and worst tweets of the week!
While there wasn’t as much Yankees roster news this week, history was made for two very special players in the Yankees organization which headlines this week’s edition of Yankees Twitter Reacts.
Check out last week’s roundup in case you missed it.
NEWS OF THE WEEK – HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS
Not Babe Ruth. Not Hank Aaron. Not Cy Young.
Not until “The Sandman” could everyone agree, as Mariano Rivera became the first unanimous selection to baseball's Hall of Fame. By @jake_seiner: https://t.co/IDIQAwGa1o pic.twitter.com/lzxqUGxhA5
— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) January 23, 2019
We all knew that Mariano Rivera was going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but the big question was whether or not the voting would be unanimous. Well, it was, and Mo became the first player in MLB history to be inducted into the Hall of Fame with 100% of the vote.
This was undoubtedly deserved. If Rivera didn’t get inducted unanimously then I would’ve questioned the voting process, which seems to be an annual tradition.
MOOOOOOOOOOOOOSE.
Mike Mussina is officially a Hall of Famer. #HOF2019 pic.twitter.com/kw1ovBkXRn
— MLB (@MLB) January 22, 2019
Rivera wasn’t the only Yankee to get the nod into the Hall. Mike Mussina also entered baseball immortality. Moose was very much on the fence getting in, so this was big news.
Here’s how Yankees Twitter reacted to the historical day:
YANKEES TWITTER REACTS TO RIVERA’S UNANIMOUS INDUCTION
Yankees legend @MarianoRivera and his family’s reaction to the news that he is the first unanimous Baseball Hall of Fame selection is pure joy. 🎉 https://t.co/XL7GZrBssa pic.twitter.com/4Z4htbds3m
— CBS News (@CBSNews) January 23, 2019
Before you see how Yankees Twitter reacted, here’s how Mo reacted! If you’re reading this than I’m sure you’ve already seen this video 100 times, but it will never get old. Seeing Mo and his family rejoice after finding out he was voted in unanimously is just awesome.
That cutter was something else.
Derek Jeter’s full story on Mariano Rivera: https://t.co/KOD9tpbbH8 pic.twitter.com/cUVacAw7pt
— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) January 23, 2019
In honor of Mariano’s induction, Derek Jeter wrote a tribute in which he talked about his perspective of Rivera’s legendary career. These are two of the most well-respected baseball players of all-time, so this was a really cool read.
Here are a couple of quirky stats about Mo:
Mariano Rivera is the only Hall of Fame player to never score a run in his MLB career.
— Jeremy Frank (@MLBRandomStats) January 23, 2019
Of all the Mariano Rivera stats, this is the one that blows me away. pic.twitter.com/WiUJO0Nl81
— Meredith Frost (@MeredithFrost) January 23, 2019
Here are some cool stories told about Mo:
The two best Mariano Rivera stories told on Twitter. pic.twitter.com/PznHR44gt8
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) January 23, 2019
Not to get political, but you know you’re a big deal when the President weighs-in.
Congratulations to Mariano Rivera on unanimously being elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame! Not only a great player but a great person. I am thankful for Mariano’s support of the Opioid Drug Abuse Commission and @FitnessGov. #EnterSandman #HOF2019💯 pic.twitter.com/reU1gKWHSQ
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2019
Wow! Even @Metallica congratulated Mariano Rivera on his Hall of Fame induction!
Enter Sandman to #HOF2019!
— Chris Dixon (@cdixon25) January 23, 2019
Every Yankee fan across the globe when the Mariano Rivera ‘Unanimous’ HOF news hit … #yankees pic.twitter.com/bNyfsco8JJ
— JoezMcfly🇩🇴 (@JoezMcfLy) January 22, 2019
Mariano Rivera had an impact on a countless number of people, but I was probably one of the most fortunate. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without sitting next to him for so many years. Thanks for everything Mo. No one deserves it more.
— David Robertson (@DRob30) January 23, 2019
Seriously … there will never be another Mariano Rivera says, @MatthewStucko. pic.twitter.com/KEftw7wqGf
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) January 23, 2019
Will we see another closer as dominant? Yes.
Will we see another closer as dominant throwing one goddamn pitch for 18 years? No. https://t.co/B7mdlHZeTj
— Andrew (@Andrew_Rotondi) January 22, 2019
YANKEES TWITTER REACTS TO MUSSINA’S INDUCTION
My most vivid Mike Mussina memory is his final game, inbetween games of a doubleheader at Fenway Park. He was finally a 20-game winner, and though we didn't know it, he had decided to retire. He was munching on some greasy McDonald's fries and seemed just so, so satisfied.
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) January 23, 2019
How many HOFers can say they received their Hall Call from inside a high school gymnasium, while in the middle of coaching basketball practice? Mike Mussina can.
— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) January 23, 2019
Congrats Mike Mussina!#HOF2019 pic.twitter.com/qzRtdr9DDR
— Alex Rodriguez (@AROD) January 23, 2019
If you read one thing about Mike @Mussina_HOF today, make it this piece from the @WmsptSunGazette written by his brother Mark. Incredible and touching tribute of brotherly love: https://t.co/uqi3q54otK
— Joe Vasile🎙️ (@JoeVasilePBP) January 23, 2019
Never Forget when Mike Mussina refused to come out of a game when Joe Torre tried to pull him 😂😂😂(@mlb)pic.twitter.com/j7hoQl7Vnq
— Baseball King™ (@BasebaIlKing) January 23, 2019
My Mike Mussina story. Early in his career I joined his fan club. Cost like $20. For weeks I got nothing. I sent a letter to his hometown with no street address hoping he'd somehow get it. Within a week I had all kinds of fan club memorabilia delivered to my door. That's Moose.
— Ralph Lee (@ReaLeeMe1) January 22, 2019
I learned more from Mike Mussina about pitchers—what they do and how they do it—than from anyone else In the last two decades covering baseball. The day he retired I thought he would be a Hall of Famer. The call finally came. Congratulations to Mussina, a well deserved honor.
— Sweeny Murti (@YankeesWFAN) January 23, 2019
Mike Mussina was often underrated for being so good yet just shy of some of the game's big feats: A game shy of a World Series ring (2001), an out shy of a perfect game (2001), second place in the Cy Young voting (1999). Finally he's recognized for a Hall of Fame career.
— Tristan H. Cockcroft (@SultanofStat) January 22, 2019
Mike Mussina reeling off all the “almosts” of his career. Says he can live with all of them now. “I almost didn’t make it to the Hall of Fame,” he says, “but I did.”
— Tyler Kepner (@TylerKepner) January 23, 2019
RIVERA TO START COACHING YANKEES PITCHERS
"I'm going to start working with the New York Yankees and teaching pitching. So many guys throw hard but don't have command…We need to teach these boys to pitch…Pitchers are getting away from pitching and are focused on throwing hard." – Mariano Rivera on @MLBNetworkRadio
— CJ Nitkowski (@CJNitkowski) January 24, 2019
Big week for Mo! On his radio circuit after the HOF news, Rivera said on MLB Network Radio that he’s going to help coach Yankees pitchers. This doesn’t mean he’ll be riding the bus or breaking-down Double-A game film, but it does mean Mo will be around more to help mold the young pitchers in the Yankees system.
I’m down with Mariano Rivera teaching Luis Severino how to throw a cutter, I don’t know about y’all, haha. #Yankees
— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildstein) January 24, 2019
Mariano Rivera said on the MLB Network he’s gonna work with the Yankees pitching staff. I love this for two reasons:
• First, take a hike Larry. Thanks for not knowing when’s game time.
• Two, Sevy with Mo’s cutter takes him from the team’s ace to just flat out World Devourer. pic.twitter.com/wcIkachOU4— Joseph Randazzo (@deflategator) January 24, 2019
WORST TAKE OF THE WEEK
Mike Mussina never won a Cy Young and is now in the hall of fame? What a joke
— Matt (@Mchuck16) January 22, 2019
Mike Mussina was elected with 76.7% of the vote on his 6th ballot, barely clearing the 75% threshold. By that fact alone, it means there are plenty of people who don’t believe Moose is HOF worthy. There is also a good chance Matt is trolling here, but I’ll play along. Winning a Cy Young should not be the argument you use when determining someone’s career. RA Dickey won a Cy Young, so by that logic is he more deserving of the HOF than Mussina?
BEST TAKE OF THE WEEK
Mariano Rivera became the 1st MLB player ever to get 100% of the HOF votes and @Espngreeny can’t believe it: pic.twitter.com/T7FXgHZ6ev
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) January 23, 2019
While I’m very excited about Mariano being the first 100%-er, it is ridiculous that he was the first. As Greenberg points out, there were multiple players before Rivera that should have gotten in unanimously. Thank goodness that Mo did, because if anything it means more clear-cut players will be inducted unanimously in the future (*cough Derek Jeter cough*).
FUNNIEST TWEETS OF THE WEEK
Congrats to Mariano Rivera on joining Bruce Springsteen as the only humans with 100% approval ratings from the Baseball Writers' Association of America
— Pablo S. Torre (@PabloTorre) January 22, 2019
Live image of Mike Mussina pic.twitter.com/N3LRwx0Qan
— Michael Clair (@michaelsclair) January 23, 2019
Gleyber Torres was almost murdered in cold blood by a giraffe today. Can we just get to spring training already and avoid these large animals? pic.twitter.com/YCLG3Jhr2B
— Eric Hubbs (@BarstoolHubbs) January 22, 2019
Remember, if you see something that you think deserves to be in the column next week, be sure to hashtag #BPYankeesTwitter or tag me on Twitter @T_Danks_ ! And be sure to listen to the most recent episode of The Bronx Pinstripes Show: http://smarturl.it/YankeesPodcast